IdentificationThis limpet has prominent ribbing running from the shell apex to the base. The apex is off-centre towards the anterior end of the shell, and it sometimes curves to overhang the anterior margin of the shell. The the ribbing is more distinct at the posterior end (opposite the apex). The shell reaches 3 cm in diameter, and ranges from olive green to brown with white dots or patches.

Habitat & RangeRibbed limpets live in high intertidal and splash zones. They are abundant, but are usually hidden in cracks and crevices of vertical or overhanging rocks. Their range extends from the Aleutian Islands to Baja California.

Similar SpeciesShield limpets (Lottia pelta) and mask limpets (Tectura persona) can have similar colouring, but mask limpets are not ribbed; shield limpets may have some ribbing but its ridges aren't as prominent, and its apex is set closer to the center and doesn't overhang. Click here for a comparison of some common intertidal limpets, including the ones mentioned above.